# 1934 Southeastern Conference football season

The 1934 Southeastern Conference football season was the second season of college football played by the member schools of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and was a part of the 1934 college football season. Tulane compiled a 10–1 overall record, with a conference record of 8–0; and, Alabama compiled a 10–0 overall record, with a conference record of 7–0, and were SEC co-champions. Five of the 13 selectors recognized as "major" by the NCAA (Berryman, Dunkel, Houlgate, Poling, and Williamson – all match systems) recognize the 1934 Alabama team as the national champion.

## Results and team statistics

| Conf. rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | DS final | PPG | PAG |
| 1 (tie) | Tulane | Ted Cox | 10–1–0 (.909) | 8–0–0 (1.000) | #11 | 19.5 | 7.5 |
| 1 (tie) | Alabama | Frank Thomas | 10–0–0 (1.000) | 7–0–0 (1.000) | #6 | 31.6 | 4.5 |
| 3 | Tennessee | Robert Neyland | 8–2–0 (.800) | 5–1–0 (.833) | NR | 17.5 | 5.8 |
| 4 | LSU | Biff Jones | 7–2–2 (.727) | 4–2–0 (.667) | NR | 15.6 | 7.0 |
| 5 | Georgia | Harry Mehre | 7–3–0 (.700) | 3–2–0 (.600) | NR | 14.1 | 5.6 |
| 6 | Vanderbilt | Dan McGugin | 6–3–0 (.667) | 4–3–0 (.571) | NR | 11.7 | 11.1 |
| 7 | Florida | Dennis K. Stanley | 6–3–1 (.650) | 2–2–1 (.500) | NR | 11.3 | 11.0 |
| 8 | Ole Miss | Ed Walker | 4–5–1 (.450) | 2–3–1 (.417) | NR | 11.4 | 9.8 |
| 9 | Kentucky | Chet A. Wynne | 5–5–0 (.500) | 1–3–0 (.250) | NR | 12.3 | 8.6 |
| 10 | Auburn | Jack Meagher | 2–8–0 (.200) | 1–6–0 (.143) | NR | 5.8 | 10.7 |
| 11 | Sewanee | Harry E. Clark | 2–7–0 (.222) | 0–4–0 (.000) | NR | 4.4 | 16.3 |
| 12 | Mississippi State | Ross MacKechnie | 4–6–0 (.400) | 0–5–0 (.000) | NR | 7.9 | 12.6 |
| 13 | Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 1–9–0 (.100) | 0–6–0 (.000) | NR | 5.6 | 18.7 |
Key DS final = Rankings from the Dickinson System. See 1934 college football rankings PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game

## Schedule

* Index to colors and formatting
* SEC member won
* SEC member lost
* SEC member tie
* SEC teams in bold

### Week Zero

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| September 21 | Birmingham–Southern | Auburn | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL | L 0–7 |
| September 21 | Mississippi State | Howard (AL) | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | W 13–7 |
| September 22 | Maryville (TN) | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 26–0 |

### Week One

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 29 | Chattanooga | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 41–0 | 12,000 |
| September 29 | Howard (AL) | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 24–0 | 6,000 |
| September 29 | Centre | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 32–0 | 7,500 |
| September 29 | LSU | Rice | Rice Field • Houston, TX | T 9–9 | |
| September 29 | Stetson | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 42–0 | 5,000 |
| September 29 | Rollins | Florida | Fairfield Stadium • Jacksonville, FL | W 13–2 | 6,000 |
| September 29 | West Tennessee State Teachers | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • University, MS (rivalry) | W 44–0 | |
| September 29 | Washington & Lee | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | L 0–7 | 6,000 |
| September 29 | Oglethorpe | Auburn | Drake Field • Auburn, AL | W 15–0 | 5,000 |
| September 29 | Sewanee | Southwestern (TN) | Fargason Field • Memphis, TN (rivalry) | L 0–2 | |
| September 29 | Clemson | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | W 12–7 | |
| September 29 | Mississippi State | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 7–0 | |

### Week Two

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 5 | Millsaps | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | L 6–7 | |
| October 5 | Southwestern (TN) | Ole Miss | Soldiers' Field • Clarksdale, MS | W 19–0 | 6,200 |
| October 5 | Tennessee | North Carolina | Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC | W 19–7 | |
| October 6 | Georgia | Furman | Manly Field • Greenville, SC | W 7–2 | |
| October 6 | Florida | VPI | Miles Stadium • Blacksburg, VA | W 20–13 | |
| October 6 | Kentucky | Cincinnati | Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OH | W 27–0 | |
| October 6 | SMU | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | T 14–14 | |
| October 6 | Auburn | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry) | TUL 13–0 | |
| October 6 | Sewanee | Alabama | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL | ALA 36–6 | |
| October 6 | Vanderbilt | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | VAN 27–12 | 10,000 |

### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 13 | North Carolina | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | L 0–14 | 10,000 |
| October 13 | Clemson | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 7–0 | |
| October 13 | Tennessee Wesleyan | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 21–0 | |
| October 13 | Vanderbilt | Cincinnati | Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OH | W 32–0 | 8,000 |
| October 13 | Georgia Tech | Duke | Duke Stadium • Durham, NC | L 0–20 | 30,000 |
| October 13 | Mississippi State | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry) | ALA 41–0 | 6,000 |
| October 13 | Ole Miss | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | UT 27–0 | 10,000 |
| October 13† | Auburn | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | LSU 20–6 | |
| October 13 | Tulane | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | TUL 28–12 | 15,000 |

### Week Four

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 20 | NC State | Florida | Plant Field • Tampa, FL | W 14–0 | 12,000 |
| October 20 | Kentucky | North Carolina | Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC | L 0–6 | |
| October 20 | Sewanee | Army | Michie Stadium • West Point, NY | L 0–20 | |
| October 20 | Mississippi State | Southwestern (TN) | Fargason Field • Memphis, TN | W 21–6 | 4,000 |
| October 20 | Georgia Tech | Michigan | Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI | L 2–9 | 20,901 |
| October 20 | Howard (AL) | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • University, MS | L 6–7 | |
| October 20 | Arkansas | LSU | State Fair Stadium • Shreveport, LA (rivalry) | W 16–0 | 12,000 |
| October 20 | Georgia | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | TUL 7–6 | 23,000 |
| October 20 | Tennessee | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (rivalry) | ALA 13–6 | 18,000 |
| October 20 | Auburn | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 7–6 | |

### Week Five

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 26 | Mississippi College | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 13–6 | |
| October 27 | Florida | Maryland | Municipal Stadium • Baltimore, MD | L 0–21 | 8,000 |
| October 27 | Duke | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 14–6 | 20,000 |
| October 27 | Georgia Tech | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | TUL 20–12 | 12,000 |
| October 27 | Georgia | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (rivalry) | ALA 26–6 | 15,000 |
| October 27 | LSU | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | LSU 29–0 | 20,000 |
| October 27 | Sewanee | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • University, MS | OM 19–6 | |
| October 27 | Auburn | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | KY 9–0 | 8,000 |

### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 3 | North Carolina | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | L 0–26 | |
| November 3 | Tennessee Tech | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 7–6 | |
| November 3 | Duke | Auburn | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | L 6–13 | |
| November 3 | Vanderbilt | George Washington | Griffith Stadium • Washington, DC | W 7–6 | 25,000 |
| November 3 | Tennessee | Fordham | Polo Grounds • New York, NY | L 12–13 | 25,000 |
| November 3 | Ole Miss | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry) | TUL 15–0 | |
| November 3 | Alabama | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | ALA 34–14 | 13,000 |
| November 3 | Mississippi State | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | LSU 25–3 | |
| November 3 | Georgia | Florida | Fairfield Stadium • Jacksonville, FL (rivalry) | UGA 14–0 | 22,000 |

### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 10 | Kentucky | Southwestern (TN) | Fargason Field • Memphis, TN | W 33–0 | 2,000–3,000 |
| November 10 | Georgia | Yale | Yale Bowl • New Haven, CT | W 14–7 | 20,000 |
| November 10 | LSU | George Washington | Griffith Stadium • Washington, DC | W 6–0 | 20,000 |
| November 10 | Tulane | Colgate | Yankee Stadium • Bronx, NY | L 6–20 | 40,000 |
| November 10 | Clemson | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry) | W 40–0 | 8,000 |
| November 10 | Mississippi State | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | TEN 14–0 | 5,000 |
| November 10 | Sewanee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (rivalry) | VAN 19–0 | |
| November 10 | Ole Miss | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | T 13–13 | |
| November 10 | Auburn | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | AUB 18–6 | |

### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 16 | Cumberland (TN) | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | L 0–14 | |
| November 17 | Mississippi State | Loyola (LA) | Loyola University Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 20–6 | |
| November 17† | NC State | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 27–0 | 8,000 |
| November 17 | Tulane | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | TUL 20–7 | 12,000 |
| November 17 | Alabama | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | ALA 40–0 | 14,000 |
| November 17 | Tennessee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 13–6 | 20,000 |
| November 17 | LSU | Ole Miss | Municipal Stadium • Jackson, MS (rivalry) | LSU 14–0 | 10,000 |
| November 17 | Florida | Auburn | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL (rivalry) | FLA 14–7 | 8,000 |

### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 24 | Ole Miss | Centenary | Centenary Stadium • Shreveport, LA | L 6–13 | 7,500 |
| November 24 | Sewanee | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | TUL 32–0 | |
| November 24 | Auburn | Georgia | Memorial Stadium • Columbus, GA (rivalry) | UGA 18–0 | |
| November 24 | Georgia Tech | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | FLA 13–12 | |

### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 29 | Vanderbilt | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | ALA 34–0 | 24,000 |
| November 29 | Kentucky | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 19–0 | 18,000 |
| December 1 | Stetson | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | W 14–0 | |
| December 1 | Tulane | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | TUL 13–12 | 30,000 |
| December 1 | Georgia Tech | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA (rivalry) | UGA 7–0 | 14,000 |
| December 1 | Ole Miss | Mississippi State | Municipal Stadium • Jackson, MS (rivalry) | OM 7–3 | 10,000 |

### Week Ten

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
| December 8 | LSU | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | TEN 19–13 | 18,000 | |

### Week Eleven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
| December 15 | Oregon | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | W 14–13 | 10,000 | |

### Postseason

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
| January 1, 1935 | Temple | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) | W 20–14 | 22,206 | |
| January 1, 1935 | Stanford | Alabama | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl) | W 29–13 | 84,474 | |

## All-conference players

The following players were recognized as consensus first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) and United Press (UP) on the 1934 All-SEC football team:
* Don Hutson, End, Alabama (AP-1, UP-1)
* Bennie Fenton, End, Auburn (AP-1, UP-1)
* Justin Rukas, Tackle, LSU (AP-1, UP-1)
* Bill Lee, Tackle, Alabama (AP-1, UP-1)
* Charlie Marr, Guard, Alabama (AP-1, UP-1)
* Homer Robinson, Center, Tulane (AP-1, UP-1)
* Abe Mickal, Halfback, LSU (College Football Hall of Fame) (AP-1, UP-1)
* Dixie Howell, Halfback, Alabama (College Football Hall of Fame) (AP-1, UP-1)
* Claude Simons, Jr., Fullback, Tulane (AP-1, UP-1)

## All-Americans

Three SEC players were consensus first-team picks on the 1934 College Football All-America Team:
* Dixie Howell, Halfback, Alabama (AAB, INS, LIB, NANA, NEA, UP)
* Don Hutson, End, Alabama (AAB, AP, INS, LIB, UP)
* Bill Lee, Tackle, Alabama (AP, COL, LIB, NANA, SN)
Other SEC players receiving All-American honors from at least one selector were:
* Claude Simons, Jr., Halfback, Tulane (AP-3)

## Head coaches

Records through the completion of the 1934 season
| Team | Head coach | Years at school | Overall record | Record at school | SEC record |
| Alabama | Frank Thomas | 4 | 60–13–3 (.809) | 34–4–1 (.885) | 12–0–1 (.962) |
| Auburn | Jack Meagher | 1 | 28–34–0 (.452) | 2–8–0 (.200) | 1–6–0 (.143) |
| Florida | Dennis K. Stanley | 2 | 11–6–2 (.632) | 11–6–2 (.632) | 4–5–1 (.450) |
| Georgia | Harry Mehre | 7 | 42–23–3 (.640) | 42–23–3 (.640) | 6–3–0 (.667) |
| Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 15 | 76–55–10 (.574) | 76–55–10 (.574) | 2–11–0 (.154) |
| Kentucky | Chet A. Wynne | 1 | 66–46–9 (.583) | 5–5–0 (.500) | 1–3–0 (.250) |
| LSU | Biff Jones | 3 | 50–13–8 (.761) | 20–5–6 (.742) | 7–2–2 (.727) |
| Mississippi State | Ross MacKechnie | 2 | 7–12–1 (.375) | 7–12–1 (.375) | 1–10–1 (.125) |
| Ole Miss | Ed Walker | 5 | 20–25–5 (.450) | 20–25–5 (.450) | 4–5–2 (.455) |
| Sewanee | Harry E. Clark | 4 | 13–23–2 (.368) | 13–23–2 (.368) | 0–10–0 (.000) |
| Tennessee | Robert Neyland | 9 | 76–9–5 (.872) | 76–9–5 (.872) | 10–3–0 (.769) |
| Tulane | Ted Cox | 3 | 33–7–3 (.802) | 22–6–2 (.767) | 12–2–1 (.833) |
| Vanderbilt | Dan McGugin | 30 | 197–55–19 (.762) | 197–55–19 (.762) | 6–5–2 (.538) |